Blister card loading system

ABSTRACT

A loading system ( 10 ) for loading packaging cards ( 14 ) with blister cards ( 22 ), which system comprises a magazine ( 15 ) for holding a supply of blister cards and operable controllably to release sequential blister cards onto a stationary runner ( 32 ) disposed around a portion of a feeder wheel ( 24 ), at an input position of the feeder wheel, the feeder wheel having means ( 30 ) to convey the blister cards in sliding contact with said runner to a transfer position of the feeder wheel, and means ( 26 ) sequentially to transfer conveyed blister cards for loading onto packaging cards during synchronized movement between the transfer means and the packaging cards.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates particularly though not exclusively to asystem for loading blister cards onto packaging cards, and moreparticularly though not exclusively to a loading system that minimisesdamage to the surface of the blister card during a loading process, andstill more particularly though not exclusively to a loading system thatcomprises a gate mechanism and feeder wheel to carry out the loadingprocess whilst minimising dame to the surface of the blister card.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Current commercial blister card loading systems transfer successiveblister cards from a magazine, or other known storage system, intocontact with a corresponding packaging card. The packaging cards oftencomprise an adhesive element with which the packaging cards and theblister card are secured to one another. These adhesive elements may beapplied to the packaging card in an activated form, or alternatively,heated such that preapplied adhesive becomes activated. Thus the timebetween the adhesive being heated, or applied to the packaging card, andthe location of the blister cards upon the packaging card must be keptto a minimum so as to limit the exposure of the active adhesive to theair, during which time it will lose part of its adhesive qualities. Themeans of transferring the blister cards from the magazine to a positionof contact with the packaging card are therefore high speed mechanismsthat often subject the blister card to potentially damaging levels offriction.

Examples of known loading systems are those that feed blister cards ontoa rotating feeder wheel that transfers successive blister cards to aposition proximate the packaging, ready for a final accurate transfermechanism to perform the final loading action. However, such systemsoften result in damage being caused to the blister cards as they arebrought into contact with the revolving surface of the feeder wheel.Such damage not only lowers the aesthetic appeal of the blister card,but also risks rupturing the blisters and loss of, or damage to, the anycontents thereof.

There is, therefore, a need for a loading system that may transferblister cards from a magazine to a position proximate the packagingcards, into which they are to be loaded, which avoids bringing thedelicate blisters of the blister cards into contact with a rotatingsurface, and yet will quickly transfer the blister cards, so as tominimise the risk of the adhesive portions of the packaging cards losingtheir adhesive qualities.

The present invention described herein seeks to overcome or at leastmitigate these problems highlighted in the loading systems of the priorart.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A first aspect of the present invention provides a loading system forloading packaging cards with blister cards, which system comprises amagazine for holding a supply of blister cards and operable controllablyto sequentially release blister cards onto a stationary runner disposedaround a portion of a feeder wheel, at an input position of the feederwheel, the feeder wheel having means to convey the blister cards insliding contact with said runner to a transfer position of the feederwheel, and means sequentially to transfer conveyed blister cards forloading onto packaging cards during synchronized movement between thetransfer means and the packaging cards.

Preferably, a guide rail is provided to cooperate with said stationaryrunner and thereby to retain the blister card within a working reach ofa feeder wheel as they are conveyed by the feeder wheel.

Preferably, the means by which the feeder conveys the blister cardscomprises lugs that protrude from the surface of the feeder wheel, andwhich are brought into abutment with a trailing edge of the blistercards by rotation of the feeder wheel, and through which abutmentsubsequent conveyance of the blister card is achieved.

Preferably, the magazine comprises protrusions that abut a proximatesurface of a blister card of the magazine, thereby preventing anyblister cards from being released, which protrusions may be controllablymoved out of abutment with said proximate surface, by displacement ofthe protrusion and said surface relative to one another, and therebyreleasing a blister card from the magazine.

Preferably, the magazine comprises pivotable hooks, the terminal ends ofwhich form said protrusions.

Alternatively, the magazine may comprise Archimedean screws that releasethe successive blister cards from the magazine through rotation of theArchimedean screws.

Another alternative being that the magazine comprises star wheels whichmay be rotated to release successive blister cards from the magazine.

Preferably, the loading system is arranged such that two or more blistercards may be released onto runners of the feeder wheel, and thereafterloaded onto the same packaging card, simultaneously.

A second aspect of the present invention provides a method of loading apackaging card a blister card, which method comprises the steps ofcontrollably releasing blister cards sequentially, from a magazine forholding a supply of blister cards, onto a stationary runner disposedaround a portion of a feeder wheel, at an input position of the feederwheel, conveying the released blister cards, in sliding contact withsaid runner, to a transfer position of the feeder wheel, using aconveying means of the feeder wheel, and sequentially transferringconveyed blister cards for loading onto packaging cards duringsynchronized movement between the transfer means and the packagingcards.

Preferably, the blister cards are controllably released from themagazine by moving protrusions out of abutment with proximate surfacesof the blister cards.

Preferably, the protrusions comprise the end of pivotable hooks and theprotrusions are moved out of abutment with said proximate surfaces bypivoting those hooks.

Alternatively, the protrusions comprise the thread of Archimedean screwsand the protrusions are moved out of abutment with said proximatesurfaces by rotating the Archimedean screws.

A further option being that the protrusions comprise the lugs ofrotatable star wheels and that the protrusions are moved out of abutmentwith said proximate surfaces by rotating the star wheels.

Preferably, two or more blister cards are released onto the runners ofthe feeder wheel simultaneously, and are thereafter loading onto thesame packaging card simultaneously.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a loading system according topreferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 1A shows a schematic side view of the loading system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides a loading system 10 which comprises agate mechanism 40 for intermittently releasing blister cards 22 from amagazine 15. As the blister cards 22 are released, they are transferredto locate upon respective packaging cards 14 that are disposed upon apackaging conveyor 28. The packaging cards 14 comprise a series ofapertures 11 that accommodate blisters 21 that are disposed upon oneside of the blister card 22.

Referring to FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of the loading system 10comprises a magazine 15, containing blister cards 22, positionedvertically above a feeder wheel 24 that is in turn positioned above arotary suction arm 26. This assembly is positioned over packagingconveyor 28 and may advantageously be positioned proximate an exit endof a heating hood 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the magazine 15comprises two adjacent stacks of blister cards 22 so as to allowsimultaneous loading of two blister cards 22 upon each packaging card14. It is, however, contemplated that the number of stacks of blistercards 22 may be higher or lower than the two shown in this exemplaryembodiment.

The magazine 15 is fitted with a gate mechanism 40 which can becontrolled to intermittently release the lowermost blister cards 22 ofeach stack in the magazine 15, onto runners 32 of a feeder wheel 24. Thegate mechanism 40 comprises, in a preferred embodiment, a pair of hooks44 (best shown in FIG. 1A), hinged upon either side of the magazine 15.The terminal ends of each hook 44 are disposed inwardly of the magazine15 so as to come into abutment with a lowermost surface of the lowermostblister cards 22 of each stack in the magazine 15, which abutmentretains all the blister cards 22 in the magazine 15.

The hooks 44 may be brought out of abutment with the lowermost blistercards 22 by pivoting the hooks 44 about pivots 42 a sufficient amount toallow the lowermost blister card 22 to pass between the terminal ends ofthe those hooks 44. After the release of the lowermost blister card 22of each stack, the hooks 44 pivot back to their original orientation toprevent the release of successive blister cards 22 from the magazine 15.Alternatively, it may be that dual pairs of gate mechanisms 40 areemployed such that a first gate mechanism retains the penultimateblister cards 22 of each stack, whilst the second gate mechanism 40retains only the lowermost blister card 22 of each stack.

It is also conceived that the same gate mechanism function may beachieved using Archimedean screws or star wheels (not shown) asalternatives to the hooks 44 described above. For example, theArchimedean screws could convey the blister cards 22 down through themagazine 15 in a controllable fashion and would release the lowermostblister cards as they reach the terminal free end of the screw.Likewise, star wheels may be positioned such that lugs, disposed aroundthe periphery of each star wheel, come into contact with the free edgesof the blister card 22. The star wheels may then be controlled so as tofree the lowermost blister cards 22 of the magazine 15 at controllableintervals.

Once the lowermost blister card 22, of each stack, has been freed fromrestraint by the gate mechanism 40, it will descend, under gravitationalattraction, to a position of rest upon runners 32 of the feeder wheel24. The runners 32 are provided in pairs for each blister card, so as tosupport the blister card 22 in a stable condition, and the number ofpairs of runners 32 corresponds to the number of stacks contained in themagazine, so that the blister cards 22 may be accommodated side by sideon the runners 32.

The runners 32 follow a path proximate to but offset from the perimeterof feeder wheel 24, as is more clearly illustrated in FIG. 1A. Thefeeder wheel 24 further comprises guide rails 33, that similarly followa path proximate the perimeter of the feeder wheel 24, although offsettherefrom by a greater distance than that of the runners 32. Thereleased blister cards 22 drop onto the runners 32 directly beneath themagazine 15 and remain in place until a lug 30 is brought into contactwith their trailing edges. The blister cards 22 are disposed upon therunner 32 with the blisters 21 protruding toward the feeder wheel 24,the runners 32 being shaped and arranged so as to contact a flatunderside of the blister card 22 rather than the blisters 21 themselves.Thus, at the point at which the blister cards 22 are brought intocontact with the feeder wheel 24, the blister cards are only subject tothe forces of their own weight resting upon the runners 32.

The lugs 30 protrude radially from the surface of the feeder wheel 24and thereby follow an annular path as the feeder wheel 24 is rotated. Inthe preferred embodiment, the lugs 30 are provided in pairs, each lug 30of each pair being aligned with the other lug 30 of that pair. There areprovided four such pairs of lugs 30 around the periphery of the feederwheel 24. If a different number of stacks of blister cards 22 were beingused, the number of lugs 30 in each set would be adapted accordinglyfrom the exemplary pairs. Once in abutment with an aforementionedtrailing edge of a blister card 22, the lugs 30 convey the blister cards22 around a portion of the periphery of the feeder wheel 24. A terminalend of the guide rails 33 is positioned proximate the location at whichthe blister cards 22 are initially positioned upon the runners 32, suchthat, once the blister cards 22 are conveyed by the lugs 30, the blistercards 22 quickly become disposed intermediate a guide rail 33 and therunners 32. The guide rail 33 prevents the blister cards 22 fromseparating from the runners 32. Thus the blister cards 22 are conveyedby the lugs 30 around a portion of the feeder wheel 24 in direction Tcuntil they reach a lowermost point of the feeder wheel 24, at whichpoint each blister card 22 is released from the feeder wheel 24 as aresult of the termination of the guide rails 33. As each blister card 22is released, it comes into contact with a corresponding suction head 34of a rotary suction arm 26, with which a seal is created. The blistercards 22 are thereby secured to the rotary suction arm unit 26, and areorientated such that the blisters 21 are protruding away from the rotarysuction arm 26.

In the preferred embodiment, the rotary suction arm unit 26 comprisestwo pairs of diametrically opposed arms 35 each comprising a suctionhead 34. It is contemplated that the number of pairs may be variedaccording to the requirements of the system, wherein three pairs of armsmay, for example allow for quicker withdrawal of blister cards 22 fromthe feeder wheel 24. Similarly, the number of arms in each set may bevaried from the illustrated pair to correspond to the number of stacksof blister cards 22 in the magazine 15.

Once a seal has been created between the rotary suction arm unit 26 andeach blister card 22, the blister cards 22 are displaced out of abutmentwith lugs 30 by pivoting the rotary suction arm unit 26 about itscentral axis in direction Ta. The lugs 30 are thereby freed to followthe return path of the feeder wheel 24. The rotation of the rotarysuction arm unit 26 is synchronised with that of the feeder wheel 24,such that a suction head 34 is correctly positioned proximate thelowermost point on the feeder wheel 24, as each successive blister card22 is released from the feeder wheel 24.

The rotary suction arm unit 26 conveys the blister cards 22 about anannular path that brings them into a correct position upon a packagingcard 14 that is disposed upon the packaging conveyor 28. At this point,the blisters 21 of the blister cards 22 are disposed toward thepackaging card 14 and are each aligned in registry with a correspondingaperture 11 in the packaging card 14.

Once blister cards 22 are positioned correctly with respect to apackaging card 14, the seal between those blister cards 22 and therespective suction heads 34 is broken, by virtue of, for example, theremoval of a negative pressure between the suction head 34 and a surfaceof the blister card 22. As the seal is broken, the blister cards 22 arefreed from the rotary suction arm unit 26 and are conveyed upon thepackaging cards 14, by packaging conveyor 28.

The packaging conveyor 28 conveys the packaging cards 14, loaded withblister cards 22, between compression rollers 18 and 20. The compressionrollers 18 and 20 are spaced apart and each compression roller 18, 20comprises at least one shaped pad, such as pad 36 illustrated in FIG. 1.In the preferred embodiment, the pads 36 are each sized and shaped toaccommodate two blister cards 22 disposed adjacent one another and toprotect the blisters 21 from damage whilst compressing the packagingcard 14 against a flat underside surface of the blister card 22. Thecompression ensures a good contact between adhesive portions of thepackaging card 14 and the flat underside surface of the blister cards22, thereby providing a good seal between the two. Additionally,compression rollers 18, 20 are synchronised with the packaging conveyor28 such that the pads 36, upon each compression roller 18,20,simultaneously come into contact with both an uppermost surface of theblister cards 22 and a lowermost surface of the packaging card 14, andavoid coming into contact with adhesive portions of packaging card 14that are not covered by the blister cards 22.

The loaded packaging card 14 is, thereafter, passed to furthermechanisms whereby the packaging process is completed. For example, afurther roller system may be employed to fold a separate panel of thepackaging card 14 over the uppermost surfaces of the blister cards 22.

It is contemplated within the scope of the invention that the exactnature of the non essential features of the loading system may bealtered whilst not departing from the scope of the present invention.For example, the rotary suction arms 20, may be replaced with mechanicalgripping assemblies which perform the function of transferring theblister cards 22, down into position of alignment with the packaging 14.Additionally, the exact orientation of the magazine 15, is not alimiting feature of this invention and it is entirely contemplated thatthe magazine may be at any angle; not only vertical or horizontal, asshown in FIGS. 1 and 1A. Further, the exact arrangement of runners 32and guide rails 33, illustrated in FIG. 1, is not a limiting feature ofthe invention and it is contemplated that the paths along which theblister cards 22 are conveyed may be adapted to suit the exactrequirements of the loading system as necessary. As described above,numerous alternatives to the use of pivotable hooks 44 may be employedto achieve the controllable gate mechanism 40.

Any directional references used in the above description, such as“uppermost”, “lowermost”, “upper”, “lower” are not limiting features andare incorporated purely for the benefit of clarity and ease ofreference.

1. A loading system for loading packaging cards with blister cards,which loading system comprises a magazine for holding a supply ofblister cards that is operable controllably to sequentially releaseblister cards onto a stationary runner disposed around a portion of afeeder wheel, at an input position of the feeder wheel, the feeder wheelhaving means to convey the blister cards in sliding contact with saidrunner to a transfer position of the feeder wheel, and meanssequentially to transfer conveyed blister cards for loading ontopackaging cards during synchronized movement between the transfer meansand the packaging cards.
 2. A loading system as claimed in claim 1,wherein a guide rail is provided to cooperate with said stationaryrunner and thereby to retain blister cards within as working reach ofthe feeder wheel as they are conveyed by the feeder wheel.
 3. A loadingsystem as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means by which the feederwheel conveys the blister cards comprises lugs that protrude from asurface of the feeder wheel, and which are brought into abutment with atrailing edge of the blister cards by rotation of the feeder wheel, andthrough which abutment subsequent conveyance of the blister cards isachieved.
 4. A loading system as claimed in claim 1, wherein themagazine comprises protrusions that abut a proximate surface of ablister card of the magazine, thereby preventing any blister cards frombeing released, which protrusions may be controllably moved out ofabutment with said proximate surface, by displacement of the protrusionsand said surface relative to one another, and thereby releasing ablister card from the magazine.
 5. A loading system as claimed in claim4, wherein the magazine comprise pivotable hooks, the terminal ends ofwhich form said protrusions.
 6. A loading system as claimed in claim 4,wherein the magazine comprises Archimedean screws that release thesuccessive blister cards from the magazine through rotation of thescrews, the thread of which Archimedean screws forms said protrusions.7. A loading system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the magazinecomprises star wheels which may be rotated to release successive blistercards from the magazine, which star wheels comprises said protrusionsdisposed around their peripheries.
 8. A loading system as claimed inclaim 1, arranged such that two or more blister cards may be releasedonto runners of the feeder wheel, and thereafter loaded onto the samepackaging card, simultaneously.
 9. A method of loading a packaging carda blister cards sequentially, from a magazine for holding a supply ofblister cards, onto a stationary runner disposed around a portion of afeeder wheel, at an input positron of the feeder wheel, conveying thereleased blister cards, in sliding contact with said runner, to atransfer positron of the feeder wheel, using a conveying means of thefeeder wheel, and sequentially transferring conveyed blister cards forloading onto packaging cards during synchronized movements between thetransfer means and the packaging cards.
 10. A method as claimed in claim9 wherein the blister cards are controllably released from he magazineby moving protrusions out of abutment with proximate surfaces of theblister cards.
 11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein theprotrusions comprise the end of pivotable hooks and the protrusions aremoved out of abutment with said proximate surfaces by pivoting thosehoods.
 12. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the protrusionscomprise the thread of Archimedean screws and the protrusions are movedout of abutment with said proximate surfaces by rotating the Archimedeanscrews.
 13. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the protrusionscomprised the lugs of rotatable star wheels and the protrusions aremoved out of abutment with said proximate surfaces by rotating the starwheels.
 14. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein two or more blistercards are released onto the runners of the feed wheel simultaneously,and are thereafter loaded onto the same packaging card simultaneously.